Where to Start: How to Build a Mobile App For Your Shopify Store

Are you brave enough?

Are you brave enough to:

• Take the first step?
• Turn your business model into something completely different?
• Embrace the mCommerce movement and use a no-code mobile app builder?

Getting started is the hardest part of a project. However, despite global economic instability, the eCommerce business continues to develop rapidly, accounting for 14.1 percent of all retail sales worldwide.

If you've been fantasizing about taking ownership of the ever-expanding online marketplace, you're not alone. We all want to start something new, especially when it can generate a considerable return on investment for the business. However, it requires a strong will to follow through on that idea. To succeed in this specific area, you need an ace up your sleeve: a user-friendly mobile app. This can be done through a no-code mobile app builder like Vajro.

The Shopify platform is used by 1.75 million merchants and 1.59 million live websites. Shopify apps became a trend and they are here to stay. Why not take advantage of this yourself?

Why should you invest in a no-code mobile app, you might wonder. You get numerous benefits by investing in an eCommerce app, such as:

• Strengthening your brand
• Building customer relationships
• Generating sales and boosting profits
• Achieving the desired ROI

💡 Bonus Material: Want to build a mobile app for your Shopify store without coding? Book a free demo today.

Unveiling the myths: do you really need to know how to code to build an eCommerce app?

The idea of a no-code mobile app builder started as a natural answer to a general need. With the rise of digital commerce, Shopify apps became more and more essential for all business owners since. It is affordable, scalable, and easy to use. And the list of attributes shall go on. Shopify is a one-stop shop for everything you'll need to start an online store.

However, not all entrepreneurs are programmers. And this is more than acceptable. Some tools can help you with building an eCommerce app. And one such tool is a no-code and easy mobile app builder, which can help you design your long-desired mobile app in just a few clicks.

Fear not; everything is easier than it seems at first glance. Let’s dig deeper and unveil the myths behind building your very own eCommerce app!

Myth Number One: You need to know how to code

Sit back and relax. You need no coding knowledge for developing the app you always dreamed of. All you need is the drive to help your business grow.

There are numerous methods to develop your app, whether you outsource the service to a programmer or do it yourself with a no-code mobile app builder. Choose the one that fits you best and start your journey to the mCommerce world!

Myth Number Two: It requires a large investment

Technical resources are not the only reasons why entrepreneurs worry when it comes to developing an eCommerce app. Sometimes, financial resources are indeed a real troublemaker.

While outsourcing to a programmer, the service might generate significantly higher costs. There is always another way of doing things: you can be the one that will take care of the app development through a no-code mobile app builder.

More so, through a no-code mobile app builder, you can also adapt all the features and strings whenever you feel the need–everything is just a few clicks away!

Unsure where to start? Find out more about Vajro’s customer stories!

Six things you should do before you begin developing your mobile app

Being motivated enough is excellent, but, as with any business activity you pursue, developing your mobile app requires a detailed strategy. And we are here to guide you through each step of the process.

Are you ready to kick off the eCommerce app development process?

Step One: Research, research, research

It comes as no surprise that research is key in each activity you pursue. And this is also the case for developing your mobile eCommerce app.

Research is the first step that needs to be taken. Understand how your competitors act and how their apps are developed. Maybe they are missing a unique feature, so feel free to question everything you see.

You have concluded that you need a mobile app to enhance your business strategy, but you do not know what type of app you might need. Set yourself some strategic goals and then it is time to research how your app will meet them.

But how do you do research? Here are just a couple of methods:

• Benchmarking—through this method, you can compare your company's procedures and performance KPIs to industry best practices or other firms' best practices
• Brainstorming—a scenario in which a group of people gets together to debate  and develop fresh ideas and solutions
• SWOT Analysis—a technique that will help you gain an overall  understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities
• Feasibility Analysis—measure the viability of your idea and all the alternatives for achieving business success

While you might have already gone through all these processes while developing your business plan, they are equally crucial for the moment when you decide to build your mobile app. No business is similar; thus your app will have to be designed for you and your customer’s needs.

Now that you have conducted your research and understand how the mobile app will help you achieve your business goals and objectives, it is time to move further.

Step Two: What makes you special? Define your unique sales proposition!

Before going any further with your app development, you need to make sure that your customers are aware of your unique sales proposition (USP). What will make your eCommerce app stand out from the crowd?

You might want to dig deeper into your marketing mix before deciding what to focus on. It consists of the crucially important 4Ps, essential for any business: Product, Placement, Promotion, and Price.

As a Shopify store owner, promotion is the ace up your sleeve. How will you address your target audience? Through social media? Then, which channel will suit them best? These are all questions to be answered once you think about promoting the app of your business.

For this to happen, you have various tools that might come in hand: social media strategies and activations, SEO and content marketing, etc.As long as you know what your value is, the message will later on come across.

To keep it short, it is crucial to understand what your user wants. Whatever step you take for further developing your app, you need to have the customer at the core of your decisions when you define your USP.

They are the ones that will help you generate revenues at the end of the day, aren’t they?

Thankfully, using a no-code mobile app developer will give you enough room for thought when defining your USP.

Now, it is time to figure out how exactly you will achieve the desired results. Let’s get to business, shall we?

Step Three: Bring your resources to the spotlight

Each business is unique in its own manner, yet digitalization is a need that suits them all. And this is only highlighted by the omnichannel movement.

It allows you as a business developer to make the most out of all your resources and turn the simple purchase into an experience for your consumer.

And fear not, you can still apply this step even if you are representing an online-based company.

Your goal is to turn each potential customer that opens your mobile app into a lead. Therefore, it is important to emphasize all the things that you were doing at your best.

More so, automation will help you to achieve this even easier than before. With the right integration, what you were already offering to your customers can simply stand out.

• Is the ace up your sleeve in your response rate to customers’ messages? Then Tidio will help you have an ongoing live chat with 24/7 automated customer service!
• Are you serving an international market? With WEGLOT, Langify, or GTranslate, you can quickly translate your app into each preferred language.
• Are you focused on building long-term relationships with your customers? Maybe you are interested in one of the loyalty, reward, and referral integrations, such as Growave, Rewardify, Loyalty Lion, smile.io, or Flits.

As long as you know your key resources, from now on you can just build upon them. Automation is your number one ally. And it will be your biggest support throughout the process.

Step Four: How will you capture value? How will you monetize your services?

When you value eCommerce app development financially, you need to start with two basic questions: how much money will you spend for an app, and how much money will the app bring in?

It is clear that the first amount should not surpass the latter, as your business goal is to be financially sustainable. Yet, numerous app development businesses may provide you with the proper number of characteristics and layouts while putting up a strain on your otherwise steady sales.

Most Shopify mobile app builders will offer you a basic monthly subscription package from which you can upscale with different one-time-payment add-ons.

Yet, one thing you need to pay special attention to is whether your app developer prices you appropriately, not at the same amount as someone who builds an app from the ground up (aka hiring a developer).

It is up to you to decide how much you are willing to invest and to what extent you can benefit from the pain/payment ratio of your customers - how big is the need (pain) you are addressing, and how much are the buyers willing to pay for your product/service?

But how will your app generate sales? Here are two of the most common methods used by eCommerce app developers to build revenue:

• Direct consumer purchase - as simple as it seems, customers visit your app as they are interested in what you stand for - your product, your brand, you name it. You need to guarantee traffic to the app, which can be achieved through the right promotion tools. Once you get traffic, you also have access to data, and you better understand the needs and wants of your customers. Then, why not use all this information to cross-promote other products that might be of interest to them?
• Customer engagement - how can you always stay at the top of your customer’s minds? While you are constantly engaging with them through both in-app and push notifications, you can further boost your sales and generate a higher return on investment.

Choose the one that suits you best, and get ready for the next step!

Step Five: Time to start designing!

You know what you are capable of and what your objectives are.

It is then high time for eCommerce app development!

The first step you need to take is choosing the right platform: a cross-platform or a native app. While the former is specially designed to automatically adjust various devices and operating systems, the latter is explicitly developed for Android or IOS devices.

After making this essential choice, it is time to consider which features to include in the overall design process.

• Visual appearance and design: You have complete control over the design and feel of your app. You can structure the theme to fit your current marketing efforts. Custom color schemes, company logo uploads, font type selections, and even custom icon uploads are all possibilities.
• Themes and add-ons: An app will provide you with a basic set of functions, and it should also provide themes and add-ons so that various businesses can choose what works best for them. A boutique might want buyers to customize their products based on their preferences, while this might not be the case for toy or electronic retailers.
• Functionality: Offer your clients a one-of-a-kind experience while meeting their immediate needs. This can be done through Multiple Login Options, Smart Search, and the implementation of a Native Blog.

Step Six: Build your app!

The last step is also the easiest.

After you have gone through the process up until now, there is only one last thing you need: to build your app.

While some will want to follow the old route of code-based applications, the brave innovators will choose a no-code mobile app builder.

In a wide range of organizations and sectors, no-code programming solutions and Shopify mobile app builders have become essential tools. Look for the ones that will be most useful to you.

With allies such as Vajro, you may use the platform to create an app without writing a single line of code because we've already created most of the features you'd expect from an app and are just waiting for you to integrate them into your app.

There are, indeed, a couple of things  you need to take into consideration when choosing your no-code mobile app builder, such as:

• The inclusion of both capital and operating expenses in the total cost.
• The time it takes to create and distribute your custom app.
• The inclusion of support and maintenance costs in the pre-development and post-development requirements.

Questioning yourself is always an important practice when rendering such an important verdict. As such, before you rush into any purchase, do not forget to ask yourself some essential questions that will, later on, support your decision.

Question number one: Does it have a free trial?

Most of the time, you're purchasing the service without thoroughly understanding how it works if you do not have access to a free trial.

If a platform you're interested in doesn't have a free trial (or if it offers only a few days), this is a red flag that can, later on, result in an unsustainable investment. Therefore, consider the demo a must-need feature for your purchase decision.

Vajro offers a 30-day free trial, which is enough time for a business to evaluate ROI!

Question number two: Is the app scalable?

Are you able to create apps that can grow with your company's needs? Are you obligated to purchase user packs that you don't require? Will you need to start all over again if the company grows?

These are all points you need to consider when thinking about the longevity and sustainability of your platform choice. It is important to know that your app will be adaptable to the scale of your business.

Question number three: How easy is it to use the app?

Is the platform you consider using intuitive? Will your employees require in-depth training to understand how it can be used?

A new product or platform necessitates additional training to get your employees up to speed. If the time spent on training appears to be substantial, it's a good idea to contemplate whether to use that specific platform in the first place. The clearer and simpler a product is to use, the easier it will be for your employees to adapt to it.

Are you ready to start working on your e-commerce app?

This guide aims to provide you with extensive knowledge about the intriguing and developing industry of no-code mobile apps. Now, it is time for you to decide if you are all in or not.

Discover Vajro: your no-code mobile app builder. Download it now!

Having gone through an overall analysis of the no-code mobile app development, you know that Vajro is the choice for you.

At its core, Vajro is the tool you need. You can use Vajro to create native iOS and Android applications for your Shopify store, and you can adapt the design to your specific needs and make it perform exactly how you want it to.

While you get familiar with the platform, you will understand that it is so much more. It offers an entirely flawless performance, more customization, and innovative features that will significantly improve your mobile app retail experience. Everything you need is at the tip of your fingers.

The best thing is that no coding is required. You can effortlessly drag and drop widgets to create a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind mobile app. In less than 60 minutes, you can turn all your creative ideas into your long-desired eCommerce app.

Are you ready to embrace the movement toward no-code digitization?

Book your demo and join the no-code bandwagon!

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